Red Sox, Rangers Considering Mike Lowell Trade

SATURDAY, 11:59am: Lowell is flying to Texas today to meet with the Rangers' front office and medical staff, and to take a physical according to ESPN's Jayson Stark. Lowell saw a hand specialist in Arizona earlier this week.

FRIDAY, 3:30pm: The Rangers will have their medical staff look at Lowell this weekend, according to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. We should know by the end of the weekend if the trade is going to go through.

TUESDAY, 1:22pm:Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears that the deal has a better than 50-50 chance of going through, though it's still not a lock.

MONDAY, 12:03am: According to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com, the Rangers will take a look at Lowell's thumb in-person at some point this week. Meanwhile, Boston is looking into the condition of Max Ramirez's wrists, which gave him problems in 2009.

SUNDAY, 9:40am: Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe indicates that, although the Rangers are satisfied with the health of Lowell's hip, they're taking a long look at the veteran's right thumb injury. Could their concerns be significant enough that the deal never becomes official?

"There are still things to go over,’" Red Sox assistant general manager Ben Cheringtonsaid yesterday. "It would not be a complete surprise if it didn’t happen."

THURSDAY, 9:49pm: The Red Sox will pay $9MM of Lowell's salary, with the Rangers paying the remaining $3MM, according to Bradford. That's the same split that other outlets reported over the course of the last day or so.

8:30pm:MLB.com's Ian Browne reports that the deal should go through, though it might take two or three days. WEEI.com's Rob Bradford says the Red Sox want to make sure Ramirez's wrists check out before making the deal official.

8:11pm:The Boston Globe reports that the Rangers and Red Sox have agreed in principle to a deal. The two teams have resolved a money issue and the Red Sox will pay some of Lowell's salary, as expected. Now, the players must get medical clearance.

7:14pm: The deal is becoming "more of a lock," a source tells McDonald and Barbarisi. The trade seems increasingly likely to go through, but it could take three or four days.

8:51am: Heyman believes this deal is better than 50-50 to get done, with the Red Sox paying $9MM. MLB.com's Ian Browne has quotes from Rangers GM Jon Daniels, who says both teams are looking at alternatives and the progress of this deal "might be a little bit overstated."

11:16pm: Rosenthal reports that the teams have a preliminary deal in place that would send Lowell to Texas for Ramirez, with the Red Sox taking on nearly all of Lowell's salary. Red Sox ownership still has to approve the deal, which is pending medicals.

9:24pm:Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears from a source who says the trade talks aren't currently very far along. The source doesn't see the deal happening now, but at the very least the teams are talking.

8:03pm:Alex Speier of WEEI.com hears that the Red Sox will have to pick up most of Lowell's salary for a deal to go down. Texas would use Lowell at first, third and DH.

5:36pm: The Rangers and Red Sox are discussing a deal that would send Mike Lowell to Texas, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. The trade is "possible, but not close," according to Bradford's source. It's possible that catcher Max Ramirez would come to Boston in exchange for Lowell. Joe McDonald of the Providence Journal echoes Bradford's report.